Northern Ontario candidate frustrated about missing election signs

An undated photo of an Elections Ontario sign in the snow. (File photo/CTV News)

A provincial election candidate in northern Ontario who says multiple campaign signs have gone missing is expressing her frustrations on social media.

In a post to Facebook on Saturday, the Liberal candidate for Nickel Belt said her lawn signs on Radar Road in Garson along with some in Coniston are missing.

“Well… it’s bound to happen in an election, but it’s still not okay,” wrote Natalie Labbée, adding that it is illegal to tamper with election signs.

“I am out campaigning today and drove down Radar Road and thru (sic) Garson and low and behold, my signs are now missing – some in Coniston as well.”

Labbée, who has been a Greater Sudbury city councillor in the area since 2022, said she would never take down someone else’s signs.

“I know better and I’m a good person,” she wrote.

“I also understand how much work it is to be in public service, how many hours it takes and the amount of good people who step up to help on a campaign – It also costs a lot of money to have signs made.”

The reason for the missing signs has not been confirmed.

So far, Labbée is the only candidate to express her frustrations about “lost” signs on social media.

Incumbent Ontario NDP candidate France Gélinas said she has not received any calls about lost signs.

“No one we’ve delivered a sign to has called in to complain about their sign going missing or being damaged during this campaign,” she wrote in a email to CTV News.

“Given this weekend’s weather and all the plow activity, it’s possible we’ll receive calls Monday about missing or damaged signs, but nothing yet.”

CTV News also reached out to Progressive Conservative candidate Randy Hazlett to ask if he has had any issues with his election signs but those messages have not yet been returned.

“This is a provincial election, folks – but it doesn’t matter,” said Labbée.

“If it’s not for the party I’m representing, I know people are supporting me and that’s what makes me believe I’m doing the right thing by putting my name on the ballot.”

“People are going around stealing them to give another candidate an advantage,” she claimed, CTV News has not been able to independently verify this information.

“I’m not pointing any fingers, but the orange and blue signs are still up.”

Labbée concluded her post by saying that this will not discourage her and she is more determined now “to flip this riding ‘Red.’”

Meanwhile, in another riding in northern Ontario, Chris Scott, the Progressive Conservative candidate for the Sault Ste. Marie riding, said last week that more than 300 of his are missing.

Scott’s campaign manager, Ross Romano, a lawyer and the former Sault MPP, released a statement that a party supporter has submitted evidence to the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service of who is responsible for the theft of the signs.

“I think there’s going to be plenty to talk about once the police conclude an investigation,” Romano said in the statement.

Ontario Provincial Police reminded the public not to tamper with election signs and that any act of mischief committed in relation to election signs is a criminal offence in a news release shortly after the election was called.

For more information on the 2025 Ontario provincial election and the issues that affect the north, visit CTVNorthernOntario.ca’s dedicated election page.